: 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out d As Esther from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 6. 12. e 2 Kings 15. 5. ↑ Heb. free. 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and f Lev. 13. 46. dwelt in a + several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. gious heart would not have relented at so faithful and just an expostulation of the priests! But how hard is it for great persons to yield to those whom they have offended: Uzziah will not allow himself to be faulty; that which was done rashly, must be borne out with power. Bp. Hall. He dieth, and Jotham succeeds. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Before Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the about 765. prophet, the son of Amoz, write. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead. CHAP. XXVII. 1 Jotham reigning well prospereth. 5 He sub- CHRIST 758. a 2 Kings 15. JOTHA M * was twenty and five 2 And he did that which was right 3 He built the high gate of the of the Holy Ghost upon Him in the presence of the people, and by the voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.-From that time Jesus began to preach," Matt. iii. 17; iv. 17. Who then is that follower of Jesus, that shall offer to begin before? Bp. Horne. 19. and while he was wroth-the leprosy even rose 21. dwelt in a several house, &c.] He dwelt in a up] While Uzziah yet speaks, God strikes. Ere the separate house by himself, being excluded from all conwords of fury come out of his mouth, the leprosy ap-versation with others, and from all management of pears in his forehead. Had it broken forth on his hand, or foot, or breast, it might have been hid from the eyes of men; but now his forehead is smitten with this judgment, that God may proclaim to all beholders, Thus shall it be done to the man whose arrogance hath thrust him upon a sacred charge.' The hand of God hath now done in an instant what the tongues of men had attempted in vain. Bp. Hall. It is a rule established beyond all controversy concerning the office of the ministry, that "no man taketh it unto himself," Heb. v. 4. Internal gifts and graces may qualify a person for an office, but they cannot put him into one. No man, however righteous and holy through faith and the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, can have authority to act in the name of Christ, till Christ gives him that authority. Before that is done, let his life and character be what they will, his ministrations can have no validity. Whatever he may be in other respects, in this particular he is a grievous offender, and will be found guilty before God of sacrilegiously intruding into an office, to which he can have no pretensions: a crime, for which "the leprosy" once "rose up in the forehead" of a monarch; and Korah and all his company, holy as they said they all were, "went down alive into the pit.' And that none in the Christian church might imitate the presumption of Uzziah, or "go in the gainsaying of Korah," even Christ "took not this honour unto himself, nor glorified himself, to be made an high priest," (for a glory it was to Him,) till he was " called of God," by the visible descent publick_affairs; thus "he was cut off from the house of the Lord," that is, precluded from entering it for religious worship, as a just punishment for his daring entrance into the most holy place, and his attempt to perform there what belonged to the high priest exclusively. Dr. Wells. Uzziah withdraws with a dejected countenance and heavy heart; and wishes to be hid no less from himself, than from others. How easy is it for the God of heaven to bring down the highest pitch of earthly greatness, and to humble the most stubborn pride! Bp. Hall. 23. in the field of the burial] He was buried in a sepulchre by himself, and not in one where any former king had been buried; (Dr. Wells;) for it was not deemed proper or lawful to defile the royal sepulchres with a leprous body. Pyle. The year of Uzziah's death was distinguished by the remarkable vision of Isaiah, on his designation to the prophetical office. Isa. vi. 1. Dr. Hales. Chap. XXVII. ver. 2. — howbeit he entered not into the temple] It is the opinion of some, that he was so alarmed by the punishment which had befallen his father, that he did not so much as enter into the court of the temple, or that he never offered sacrifices there, but only in high places. But a preferable meaning seems to be, that he imitated his father in all that was good, but did not profanely enter the temple to offer incense as he had done. Bp. Patrick. And the people did yet corruptly.] A better Jotham subdueth the Ammonites. Before CHRIST 758. || Or, the tower. II. CHRONICLES. house of the LORD, and on the wall of || Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten Heb. This. thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he || prepared his ways before the LORD his God. Il Or, established. Ahaz reigneth wickedly. the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. Before CHRIST 741. || Or, offered 3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, sacrifice. and burnt his children in the fire, b Lev. 18. 21. after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. about 711. 5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also + Heb. delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. Darmesek. and ye have slain them in a rage that about 741. reacheth up unto heaven. 10. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God? 11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. 12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, but are there not with you,—sins] He desires them to consider, that they who thought themselves God's favourites because He had made them victorious, had sins enough to answer for; for which, if He punished them as they deserved, they might be soon reduced to the same condition with their brethren of Judah. Bp. Patrick. 11.. the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.] It hence appears, that, though God uses one nation as the instrument of another's punishment, yet He does not approve of the inhumanities committed by an enemy. Bp. Wilson. 14. So the armed men &c.] Here was a wonderful instance of obedience, in restoring not only the captives which were valuable, but all the spoil also, which was no doubt considerable; and a remarkable proof of the great power of the Prophet, that he turned the barbarous cruelty of the Israelites to the tenderest humanity. How lamentable it is, that they were not to be so easily converted from idolatry, to which their inclination was so strong, that nothing could persuade them to forsake it! Bp. Patrick. Thus compassionate was God towards the people of Judah, who so little deserved mercy at his hands. Pyle. 19.because of Ahaz king of Israel;] King of Judah, which was a part of Israel. See note at chap. xxi. 2. We read six times "the king of Israel" thus put for Before CHRIST Ahaz sendeth for aid from Assyria. and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and about 741. brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. c c Deut. 34. 3. 16 At that time did king Ahaz about 741. send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away + captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimso also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. 20 And Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. 22 ¶ And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed unto the gods ↑ Heb. a captivity. 740. "the king of Judah."- "For he made Judah naked," that is, deprived it of the Divine protection by his foul transgressions. Bp. Patrick. 20.distressed him, but strengthened him not.] At 2 Kings xvi. 9, it is said that Tiglath-pileser did help him; how then did he distress him? Both these are true; for, as he came to his assistance against the king of Syria, so he took Damascus, carried the people captive, and delivered Ahaz from the power of the Syrians, 2 Kings xvi. 7, &c. But this was of little real avail to Ahaz, for he assisted him not in recovering the cities taken from him by the Philistines, nor did he lend him any forces, or enable him to recruit his strength, but rather weakened him by exhausting his treasures, and by destroying Samaria, by which the way was opened for the more easy invasion of his country in the next reign. Thus, in all ages of history, instances have occurred in which the nations which have called in the assistance of foreign princes, have been overrun and conquered by those who came for purposes of friendship. Bp. Patrick. 22. this is that king Ahaz.] The expression here in the Hebrew is an expression of great contempt, with which Ahaz well deserved to be branded, as the most notorious offender that had ever been among the kings of Judah. Bp. Patrick. In the disastrous condition in which he was, he was guilty of a piece of stupidity, not Ahaz groweth more idolatrous. Before CHRIST 740. + Heb. Darmesek. Before CHRIST of +Damascus, which smote him: HEZEKIAH + began to reign when he was five and twenty 726. years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his 1. mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every several city of Or, to offer. Judah he made high places || to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers. to be paralleled in any other, except in the weakest and wickedest of men, and took the most effectual steps to inflame the displeasure of God, ver. 24, and hasten the destruction of his kingdom. Pyle. "This is that king Ahaz;" it seems to be a particular brand set upon Ahaz, as a most grievous and notorious sinner, because "in the time of his distress he trespassed yet more," because affliction made him worse instead of better. Abp. Tillotson. Of all the kings of Judah hitherto, there is no one so dreadful an example either of sin or judgment, as this son of good Jotham. It is horrible to think that such a monster could descend from the loins of David. Where should be the period of this wickedness? He begins with the high places, thence he descends to the calves of Dan and Beth-el, thence he falls to a Syrian altar, to the Syrian god; then, from a partnership, he falls to an utter exclusion of the true God, and blocking up of his temple; and at last, as if hell were broken loose upon God's inheritance, every several city, every high place of Judah, hath a new god. No wonder if he be branded by the Spirit of God with, "This is that king Ahaz." Bp. Hall. 27.-they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings] The Israelites were accustomed to honour, in a peculiar manner, the memory of their good kings; but they inflicted marks of posthumous disgrace on their wicked kings, by not suffering them to be interred in the usual sepulchres of the sovereigns. This custom 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and + turned their backs. 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusa a 2 Kings 18. 726. + Heb. given the neck. was singular; the effect must have been powerful and influential; it was doubtless intended to make a suitable impression on the minds of the kings while living. The Egyptians had a custom similar to this of holding an inquest on the bodies of persons when dead. The sovereign himself was not exempt from this inquest: as the publick peace was interested in their lives, it was deemed for the publick welfare that they should suffer an impartial scrutiny by a publick trial; and some of them were not ranked among the honoured dead, and consequently were deprived of publick burial. The conformity between this practice of the Egyptians, and the practice of the Israelites, incidentally noticed in Scripture, is remarkable. Burder. Chap. XXIX. ver. 5.· Hear me, ye Levites,] In this religious and pathetick address, Hezekiah exhorts the Levites and priests to set immediately about cleansing the temple, and seeing all its apartments, vessels, and utensils, made fit for use, calling to their minds into what miseries and calamities the profaneness of former times had plunged the whole nation, and how the contempt of God and of holy duties had rendered the kingdom of Judah the very scorn and derision of men; and finally, how highly it became them, who were God's ministers, to be peculiarly zealous to unite all their endeavours with his for procuring a reformation, which was the only means of preventing their destruction. Pyle. The Levites cleanse Before CHRIST 726. + Heb. commotion. Or, be not now deceived. b Numb. 8. CHAP. XXIX. lem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you 14. & 18. 2, 6. to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense. I Or, offer sacrifice. Or, in the business of the LORD. 726. 12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: 14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, 16.—into the inner part of the house] That is, into the holy place, for into the most holy none but the high priest might enter. By "the court of the house of the Lord" is meant the court of the priests, where the Levites attended upon them and ministered unto them. Bp. Patrick. 21.- to offer them on the altar] There are two laws in the books of Moses, requiring a sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the whole congregation; the one at Lev. iv. 13, 14, where a bullock was required for sins into which they had ignorantly fallen; the other at Numb. xv. 22, where the sacrifice of a goat as a sin offering is commanded, together with that of a bullock as a burnt offering, when they had fallen into errour in the prac the house of God. and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. 20 ¶Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. Before CHRIST 726. tice of external rites. Now Hezekiah, being sensible that the people had not only acted contrary to their religion, but had in fact abolished it, by closing the doors of their temple, and omitting the appointed sacrifices, and every where exercising strange worship, appointed seven bullocks for a burnt offering, and as many goats for a sin offering, (though the law never required more than one,) thinking that these numerous sacrifices (together with the rams and lambs) were, if not necessary, at least very becoming, on account of the great and long neglect of the Divine service, and of the multitude and heinousness of their other sins against the Lord, for which they now required forgiveness. Bp. Patrick. |